Abstract

Background

Increasing attention has been paid to the school food environment as a strategy to
reduce childhood obesity. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between
the school food environment, students’ dietary intake, and obesity in British Columbia
(BC), Canada.

Methods

In 2007/08, principal responses about the school environment (N = 174) were linked
to grades 7-12 students (N = 11,385) from corresponding schools, who participated
in the BC Adolescent Health Survey. Hierarchical mixed-effect regression analyses
examined the association between the school food environment and student’s intake
of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), food consumption, and body mass index. Analyses
controlled for school setting, neighborhood education level and student’s age and
sex.

Conclusions

The results of this study provide further evidence to support the important role of
schools in shaping adolescents’ dietary habits. Availability and consumption of SSBs,
but not less healthful foods, at school were associated with higher adolescent obesity
highlighting that other environments also contribute to adolescent obesity.